Center for Surface Engineering and Tribology (CSET)
Georgia Institute of Technology and Northwestern University
An improved understanding of friction and wear leads to superior products and processes
A National Science
Foundation
Industry/University
Cooperative
Research Center
since 1985
Center Mission and Rationale
Failure resulting from the contact of solid surfaces is a critical problem that inhibits the development of key components in advanced engines, turbines, manufacturing
processes, and magnetic recording systems. In order to
develop advanced components for these applications, it is
necessary to understand and control basic friction, wear,
and lubrication processes at the sliding interface.
Surface engineering and tribology relates to the basic phenomena of contacting surfaces in relative motion. The broad
mission of the Center for Surface Engineering and Tribology
(CSET) is to marshal the resources and expertise of the two
universities to advance new understanding and methods
that will provide new tools for developing superior products
and processes in the following industries:
• Heavy Machinery
• Automotive Products
• Railroads
• Lubricants
• Agricultural and Earth Moving Equipment
• Metal Processing
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Electronic and Data Processing
Aerospace
Chemicals
Coatings
Research Program
The research program at Northwestern University (NU)
encompasses six areas:
• Gears’ Bearings
• Seals
• Coatings
• Lubricant Fundamentals
• Engineered Surfaces
• Manufacturing Tribology
Recent Accomplishments
The Center at Northwestern University has recently developed the following new concepts, methods, models, materials, and software to predict and improve tribological
performance and failure in machine components and metal
forming processes:
• Analytical models and software to predict sliding wear
Experimental characterization of particle size distribution in water/oil emulsion.
• Polishing and wear of silicon.
Recent Accomplishments
The Center at Georgia Institute of Technology
has focused on expanding activities in the modeling of lip, face, and elastomeric seals; measurements of wear in hard disk drive surfaces;
and manufacturing processing of semiconductors and ceramics. The following lists specific
tasks conducted within CSET:
• A model of lip seals has been developed to
include elastohydrodynamic and surface
tension effects.
• Chemo-mechanical polishing of silicon and
sapphire is being related to hydrodynamic
film thicknesses.
• Optimization of dicing of silicon has been
studied.
Dr. Scott Bair adjusting a custom reciprocating
tribosimulator.
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and scuffing conditions in lubricated contacts
based on new concepts in
microelastohydrodynamic lubrication and
surface film breakdown
Software for lubrication and failure in spur
gears, connecting rod bearings, piston ring,
or skirt/liner contacts
Analytical models for surface and subsurface
contact fatigue life
Efficient software to determine the
subsurface residual stresses in Hertzian
contacts
Superhard carbon nitride coatings.
Special Activities
• Collaborating with Georgia Tech in
investigations of chemical mechanical
polishing.
The research program at the Georgia Institute
of Technology (GIT) encompasses four areas:
• Seals and bearings
• Lubricant rheology
• Friction and wear in bearings
Dr. Scott Bair and graduate student Alex Baklman
conducting a high pressure rheology experiment.
Professor Jeffery Streator and a graduate student
analyze the surface of a magnetic hard disk drive by
laser interferometry.
• A model of face seals has been developed to
include transient effects.
• A simple analytical technique was developed
to incorporate a realistic lubricant
constitutive equation into an
elastohydrodynamic inlet zone analysis, and
the predictive technique has been
successfully compared with experimental
film thickness measurements on a nonNewtonian oil.
• Lubrication processes for hard disk drives
have been studied.
Special Activities
• Two seals short courses are held annually to
transfer technology to industry.
• A collaboration with the Center for Integrated
Diagnostics has been established to study
the precursors to mechanical seal failure.
Center Headquarters
Center for Surface Engineering and Tribology
George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical
Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
813 Ferst Drive, MARC Suite 311
Atlanta, GA 30332-0405
Tel (404) 894-9100 • Fax (404) 894-3913
Co-Director: Dr. Steven Danyluk
[email protected]
Co-Director: Dr. Leon Keer
(847) 491-4046 • [email protected]
Center Evaluator: Dr. Eleizer Geisler
(312) 906-6532 • [email protected]
NSF 01-168oo